Washington’s chaos is costing all of us – this November we can stop it
Earlier this month in Lansing, I talked with a man who told me about his friend, Chris, who has preexisting health conditions and just saw her insurance premium nearly triple to over $800 a month on top of a $5,500 deductible. He shared that she is making impossible choices no Michigander should have to make: deciding whether to pay for health insurance or food. For her – and for thousands of others who rely on the Affordable Care Act – the chaos in Washington, D.C. isn’t some distant problem. It’s a mess, a failure, and it is imposing unfair, unsustainable choices on their lives.
And they are not alone.
Across Michigan, families are watching their grocery bills climb, paying more to fill up their tanks and are struggling to keep up with their electricity and heating bills. The war in Iran has sent energy prices higher, adding another thousand-dollar financial burden to Michigan families – more than any other state. At the same time, Donald Trump’s reckless trade war with Canada is saddling Michigan families with a bill of $6,419 – again, more than any other state in the nation – costing our state a total of $26 billion in tariff-related costs.
This is unacceptable. We must do better.
Here in Michigan, we can define what government should be – for everyone.
As governor, I will lead us down a better path. We will lower costs, grow our economy to raise wages and end the corruption that got us here.
The affordability crisis is an urgent one. I see it every day – that’s why the first thing I did in this campaign was roll out a plan to lower housing and healthcare costs, end profit-driven rate hikes on our utility bills, fully and efficiently fund our public schools, and bring a new era of transparency to Lansing. And with mere weeks left in this election cycle, I am still the only candidate for governor who has done so.
As governor, I will make sure our state agencies are working for you and are saving you time and money, just as I did as Secretary of State. We will hold Big Pharma accountable for price gouging and take on insurers who deny doctor-prescribed care. We will make it easier and more efficient to build homes so more families can afford a roof over their heads. We will overhaul the school funding formula so every school has the resources they need. And we will get dark money out of politics so that every step of the way, you can be confident your leaders are working for you – not the highest bidder.
Government is supposed to be a partner for families hoping to build a successful life, not another obstacle that gets in the way.
My opponent, John James, has a starkly different approach to leadership. Every lie Donald Trump tells, he repeats. Every bad economic policy Trump implements, he supports. As Michigan families struggle with higher costs, James voted six times to continue the war in Iran that is directly responsible for raising those costs. He skipped a vote on housing affordability, but found time to show up in support of Trump’s tariffs that are raising costs on every Michigander.
I have a different vision for the future of Michigan. One that we, the people, dictate – not Donald Trump. I called on Washington to bring this war to an end so families can find relief at the gasoline pump. And as governor, I will fight every day – just as I’ve done as Secretary of State – to lower your costs and protect your rights and freedoms. Even if it means standing up to the President of the United States.
Because here’s the deal: no Michigander should have to choose between their healthcare or their electricity bill. No Michigan family should have to put off a doctor’s appointment, a mortgage payment, or a dream because the cost of simply getting by keeps going up.
Washington’s chaos is costing us, but here in Michigan we can do better.
We can build a state where costs are coming down, wages are going up, and your government works for you. That is the Michigan I believe in. And it’s the future we can build – together.
Editor’s note: City Pulse invited candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and the 7th Congressional District to speak directly to our readers. Their responses appear at these links and in this week’s issue of City Pulse.
